'Entrepreneurs, vital for economic growth'

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

DEVELOPMENT: The role of entrepreneurs has been recognised to be of a great significance in accelerating the pace of growth of economic development of a country, Director General and CEO, Colombo Plan Staff College (CPSC) for Technician Education, Dr. Man-Gon Park said.

He made these remarks at the international conference on `Influence of Change Management of TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) sector to entrepreneurship development' held recently. CPSC also held a country program prior to the conference in collaboration with the Department of Technical Education and Training under the Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training.

Dr. Park said a dynamic professional staff development for technical education and training in the member countries by promoting continuous learning, quality service and research culture will be facilitated in the future.

"The present day developed countries like USA, UK, Germany and Japan owe much of their economic development to enterprising people of their respective countries.

"Developing and underdeveloped countries having seen the history of economic development in the developed countries are now conscious of the significance of entrepreneurship development," he said.

He pointed out the necessity of quality entrepreneurs in order to achieve economic development. "There is a growing realisation that both the quantity and quality of entrepreneurs are of utmost significance for achieving economic development.

Active and enthusiastic entrepreneurs can fully utilise the country's available resources like labour, technology and capital," he explained.

Dr. Park also said entrepreneurship training in most countries of the world is being increasingly tried to promote local entrepreneurship and to accelerate the pace of small and medium enterprise development.

"The main objectives of the program were to understand the philosophy and concept of entrepreneurship development, to scan entrepreneurial opportunities and to successfully set up and manage an enterprise," he added.